


Assurance

by toasty_coconut



Category: Little Witch Academia
Genre: F/F, Light Angst, Mentioned Character Death, light fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-28
Updated: 2020-08-28
Packaged: 2021-03-07 03:07:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,843
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26159980
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/toasty_coconut/pseuds/toasty_coconut
Summary: While visiting the Cavendish family grave site with Akko, Diana spends some time reflecting on her mother.
Relationships: Diana Cavendish/Atsuko "Akko" Kagari
Comments: 8
Kudos: 79





	Assurance

**Author's Note:**

> Written for Diakko Week 2020's theme of "hurt/comfort".

Diana couldn’t bring herself to move. Her legs felt like lead sinking into the earth. She had so much time to prepare for this—it wasn’t like it had taken her off-guard. And yet, she couldn’t step away from her mother’s casket.

White and pink flowers decorated the coffin’s sleek beige exterior. The six-foot hole in the ground beside it would be her mother’s final resting place. Looking down into it made her head spin and her stomach churn. She didn’t want any of this to be real, even if she knew in her heart that this had been a long while coming.

“Lady Diana…”

Anna’s voice was soft as she placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. Diana didn’t turn to face her. She couldn’t.

“It’s all right, Anna,” Diana assured quietly. “I think I’d just like a few more moments alone.”

Anna’s hand lingered for a beat until she pulled away. “Of course, m’lady.”

Anna’s footsteps retreated, likely back to the car to wait for Diana there. Other than the two gravediggers speaking to one another several yards away, Diana was finally alone with her mother. Ever since the night Bernadette Cavendish passed, Diana hadn’t gotten an instant to herself—constantly speaking with family, acquaintances, staff, and guests.

Perhaps none of them realized it, but Diana had heard all of their whispers to each other. She had heard them saying how a 12-year-old girl couldn’t possibly lead the House of Cavendish. How her Aunt Daryl was likely going to run the family into the ground. How it would be up to _her_ to make things right when she came of age. How, despite everything, they all still expected great things of her.

She had kept a good front. Diana knew that she couldn’t let herself be seen as weak or childish in front of those people. She _was_ going to take over the family. She _was_ going to restore magic to the world, just as her mother had wished. She needed everyone to know that there was nothing to worry about. She wasn’t a child anymore. She had locked that part of herself away.

Diana’s hands curled into fists at her sides to keep her fingers from trembling. She took a sharp breath through her nostrils, her lips pressed into a hard line. Reaching out, she placed her palm against the casket. Her eyes stung and the lump in her throat was growing more difficult to keep down.

She was no longer a child, she couldn’t be. But in that moment, Diana wanted nothing more than for her mother to wrap her in a warm, comforting embrace again. In that moment, she wanted to hear her mother’s voice say that everything was going to be all right. In that moment, she really _didn’t_ want to be alone.

In that moment, Diana finally wept.

* * *

“Wow. This part of the grounds is super pretty,” Akko observed, hauling a large bucket of water in her arms.

“It is, isn’t it?” Diana looked up from the bouquet of flowers she carried. Just over the hill, a sparkling lake could be seen. “When my father passed away my mother wanted him buried here. She said he was always fond of this lake, so she wanted his grave to be in view of it.”

Coming to the cemetery to clean up Diana’s family grave had been Akko’s idea. Diana had initially turned the offer down, not wanting to make Akko do something that wasn’t her responsibility. However, Akko claimed that because they had been dating for over a year that it was finally time she got to ‘meet’ Diana’s parents, and insisted that cleaning the grave could just be a part of that.

And so, the pair made their way to the private cemetery where many members of the Cavendish family had been buried over the years—Diana’s parents included. Near the peak of the hill, Diana could make out a black headstone with carved silver letterings at its center.

“Here we are.”

Akko placed the bucket of water down beside the grave. She frowned, and without a word, clapped her hands together and bowed her head in respect. Her eyes were shut tightly, brows furrowed in focused prayer.

Letting out a small breath, Diana smiled. She crouched down, carefully laying the flowers she had brought with her in front of her parents’ resting place. She noticed the small array of flowers that had already been planted there beforehand.

“It seems Anna has taken good care of things here,” she noted, rising back to her feet. She ran a hand over the top of the grave and looked to her finger tips. “It does appear that the stone itself could use some cleaning, though.”

Akko opened an eye, grinning. “Don’t worry!” she said, rolling up her sleeves. “I’m practically a pro at this! Your mom and dad would be impressed!”

Diana laughed lightly, watching as Akko pulled out a rag from the backpack she had been wearing. “I take it you did this often back home?”

“Sort of.” Akko shrugged, dunking the rag into the bucket and ringing it out. “I used to go with my dad when he’d clean our family’s gravesite a couple of times a year.” She handed the dampened rag off to Diana. “It was nice, as weird as that sounds. He’d tell me all about the history of our relatives who are gone.”

Diana looked down at the wet cloth in her hands as Akko repeated the process with a second one. Picturing a younger Akko eagerly helping her father clean, while listening to family stories, was an image that came naturally to her. “I see. I believe I can understand how that may be a nice experience.”

“It was!” Akko approached the grave, crouching down in front of it and placing the rag to its surface. “My dad knows all kinds of family stories and secrets and stuff. It’s cool learning about people you never got to meet. You know?”

“Yes.” Diana crouched down beside Akko. She ran the rag across the engraving of her father’s name. “My mother used to tell me stories of my father when I was young.”

Akko blinked. “Do you remember much about your dad?”

“No.” Diana shook her head. “He died before I was old enough to make memories of him. But I do know that my mother loved him dearly. I don’t think she ever really moved on from his passing.”

Diana recalled the nights when she was a little girl, sitting in her mother’s lap as they looked through an old photo album together. Pictures of Bernadette in a long white gown standing beside a dashingly handsome young man were carefully tucked away within its pages. She would tell Diana stories about the places that had visited together, the things they talked about, and the dreams they shared.

She also remembered the way her mother would wipe at her eyes, insisting they were happy memories. However, the way she bit at her lip and the way her hands held Diana tighter seemed to suggest there was more to it than that.

Something panged in Diana’s chest and she immediately retreated from the depths of her thoughts. She exhaled, moistening the rag in the bucket of water once more.

“You’ve never really told me much about your parents, Diana.” Akko tilted her head. “I mean, I know your mom was head of the family, but besides that, I feel like there’s a lot I still don’t know.”

Diana frowned, ringing the water out of the cloth and Akko paused. “Oh. Uh. Sorry. I didn’t mean to—”

“It’s quite all right,” Diana dismissed, offering her a small smile. “I suppose it’s just something I struggle with.” She ran the rag along the grave again. “I never really knew my father, and then when my mother died I told myself I wouldn’t linger on the past. I wanted to focus on the future instead.”

“I guess so,” Akko conceded. “But it’s nice to reflect sometimes, isn’t it? I bet you have a lot of really happy memories of your mom!”

Diana stared at the lettering of her mother’s name on the stone. “Yes, I do.”

“Do you…” Akko started slowly, “maybe wanna tell me about some of them? I mean, if you want to. Since we’re here and all.”

It was obvious Akko was attempting to refrain from stepping on any toes or saying something that would offend Diana. The gesture was sweet, and she knew that Akko’s heart was in the right place. She really hadn’t spoken much of her parents to Akko, and since they were there, cleaning said parents’ gravestone, it was only natural that she would ask—so it was only fair that Diana gave her a response.

“Mother always used to tell me stories,” Diana began, focusing her attention back onto rubbing the grave down with the rag. “It never mattered how tired or ill she was, she always managed to find the time to sit with me and tell me about the House of Cavendish, the history of magic, or the Nine Old Witches.”

Akko raised her brows, listening carefully as Diana continued, “The story of Beatrix was my favorite. I couldn’t even begin to tell you how many times she told me that one.” She closed her eyes, a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. “When traditional and modern powers mingle, the gate to an unseen world will open.”

Akko paused. “Sybilladura Lelladybura.”

“That’s right.” Diana nodded. “Mother once told me that she believed I could be the one to open that gate—that I could create a new future for the Cavendish name.” She stopped, her smile fading. “For years, I felt like it was my duty to her to make that wish she had for me come true.”

“You did.”

Diana stopped. Akko was resting her arms across the top of the grave, staring at Diana so lovingly that she had to look away. She cleared her throat, attempting to keep her blush at bay.

“You and I both know I merely assisted.”

Akko giggled. “It wouldn’t have been possible at all without you. I know your mom would be proud of you for that.”

It consistently amazed Diana how, even if she didn’t know it, Akko had a way of lighting up her entire world with the smallest gestures. A smile crept its way back onto her face.

“She would have adored you, you know?”

“Huh? Me? Really?”

“She always used to tell me that one of the things she loved most about my father was the way he could make her laugh.” Diana cast Akko a playful glance. “I know you wouldn’t have a problem doing that.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Akko snipped, puffing her cheeks.

“That you’re charming, and that your smile is rather infectious.” Diana shifted her focus back onto the grave. “Even with that aside, my mother loved magic just as genuinely as you or I. She would be thankful for everything that you’ve done for the world of magic,” she paused, quietly adding, “and everything you’ve done for me.”

Akko blushed, scratching at her nose. “Aw, come on, Diana. I’m not anything that special.”

She was wrong. Down to her very core, Akko was probably the most special person Diana ever had the pleasure of meeting. What she had done for the world of magic was incredible in its own right—but at the very base of it all, she had never known someone who could radiate such a profound, vibrant energy that impacted everyone around her. She had touched the lives of so many that Diana couldn’t even begin to count them all.

While Aunt Daryl and the other members of the House of Cavendish were still adjusting to their relationship, Diana knew that her mother really _would_ have loved every aspect of Akko from the start. She was certain her mother would be able to tell how genuine Akko’s love for magic was. She would have laughed at Akko’s jokes and tricks. She would have listened fondly to all of Akko’s wild tales of her crazy adventures. She would have been thankful to Akko for all that she had done.

Something in Diana’s chest ached—a deep, throbbing ache.

“I wish…” Diana clenched the cloth in her hands, “she could have met you, Akko.” Her voice was barely above a whisper. “Sometimes knowing that she’s gone and that she won’t get to see what becomes of magic, or the Cavendish family, or,” she paused, “of me… Sometimes it’s harder to deal with than others.”

Akko frowned, moving from her spot on the other side of the grave to sit in the grass beside Diana. She took a second, pondering on her words before speaking. “I wish I could have met her, too. She sounds like she was a really amazing person.” Akko placed her hand over Diana’s, giving it a gentle squeeze. “But… I feel like in some ways, I have met her. Because a lot of the things that made her so amazing exist in you, right?”

“I don’t think I could hold a candle to the type of person my mother was,” Diana dismissed with a dry laugh. Akko frowned at that, and Diana gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. “But… thank you.” She shook her head. “My apologies. I didn’t mean to get melancholic on you.”

“Don’t apologize, Diana,” Akko encouraged, scooting closer. “I know you don’t talk about your mom a lot, but it’s okay to miss her and it’s okay to wish she was here now. It just means you really loved her.” She shrugged. “It’s a part of being human.”

“I do…” Diana started her voice fading, hesitantly adding, “miss her terribly.”

Akko’s frown deepened. “Diana…”

There were fewer things Diana hated more than crying. She hated feeling so vulnerable. She hated letting her weaknesses be seen. And yet, she couldn’t help the stinging sensation building up behind her eyes. She tried to blink it away, letting out a frustrated sigh, using a hand to wipe away the moisture. “I apologize.”

For years she had trained herself to bury her emotions down deep. She had steeled herself to be the noble Cavendish heir that everyone had expected her to be. Even still, there were times where she felt as if she hadn’t grown at all from the girl standing alone at her mother’s casket.

Perhaps there was still a part of her that _was_ nothing more than a child who longed for her mother.

“Hey,” Akko’s voice soothed, pulling Diana from her thoughts as she wrapped an arm around her. “It’s all right.”

Diana leaned into the embrace. Under normal circumstances, she would never let her guard down so easily. However, there was something about the way Akko held her—something about the warmth in those few words—that made Diana lose all tension that had built up inside of her.

Wordlessly, Akko gently nuzzled her nose against Diana’s temple. It was a small gesture that made Diana’s chest swell. She leaned into it and every ache she felt inside of her melted away. The stinging behind her eyes ceased and the lump in her throat slowly vanished.

Diana’s heart had been lit anew. She inched away, cupping Akko’s face in her hands. “Thank you.” She smiled, rubbing her thumbs against Akko’s cheeks. “I’m okay. Really.”

The soft smile Akko gave her left her feeling warm to the core. The tears that had threatened to fall just moments prior had dissipated entirely. It consistently amazed Diana how Akko was always able to make her feel loved so wholly in the tiniest of ways. Every little thing she did brought a light to her life that she hadn’t even realized she needed.

“C’mon,” Akko beckoned, helping Diana back to her feet. “Your parents are gonna be grumpy if we leave their grave half cleaned.”

Diana chuckled. “I certainly wouldn’t want that. Mother always was a force to be reckoned with when she was angry.”

Akko gawked. “Really? I thought the Cavendish motto was compassion or something?”

“Oh, it is.” Diana picked up her rag. “But even my mother had her limits. I’ll never forget the summer Aunt Daryl made a mess of the home library. I thought Mother was going to have a stroke—she was _furious_.”

Akko laughed, giving Diana a nudge. “Sounds like someone else I know.”

“Perhaps that’s where I get it from.”

Time slipped away as the pair got back to work making the Cavendish family grave spotless. Diana couldn’t remember when she had last spoken so much of her mother. Usually the memories of her were tainted by a stinging pain of longing. But speaking of her so fondly to Akko felt like a breath of fresh air.

Diana knew that the pain from her mother’s death would never fade entirely, but maybe having Akko beside her would make soothing that pain a little easier.

* * *

_End._

**Author's Note:**

> Please check out [the art that noodlerama made](https://noodlerama.tumblr.com/post/627710693276336128/assurance-toastycoconut-little-witch-academia) for this story over on Tumblr!


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